Developing-tank.



G. W. BOTZ. DEVELOPING TANK. APPLICATION FILED APR.13, 1914.

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

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wi/tueooeo GEORGE W. BOTZ, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

' DEVELOPING-TANK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 13, 1914. Serial No. 831,449.

To all whom itmay concern Be it known that I, GEORGE W. Bo'rz, a citizen of the United States, residing at M11- Waukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of isconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Developing-Tanks, .of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in washing and developing tanks for photographic films.

posed should be out of The objects of myinvention are to provide an efficient form of tank which will be wholly opaque and the walls of which will not be acted upon by the chemicals in a-manner to cause deterioration. Also to simplify and improve the structure with a view to expedition in adjusting and removing films and to improve upon the means for supporting the films, whereby they will be held physical contact with adjacent films. In the drawings- Figure 1' is a side cle- -vation of a developing tank partially broken away in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a modified form of film supporting frame. -Fig. 4 is a detail view showing a modified form of construction whereby the tank is adapted to be used as a washing tank. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modified tank and film supporting frame structure.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

The tank l'comprises a cylinder of baked clay, having both outer and inner surfaces glazed. The clay of which the tank is compure clay. Ordinary clay should be washed or purified. If iron is present in the clay, this should be removed in connection with the preliminary preparation of the clay. I

The tank 1 is preferably cylindrical in form, witha bottom 2, the inner surface of which should be inclined in the direction of an outlet 3, whereby the tank may be thoroughly drained when empty. The upper end portion of the tank is preferably provided with an annular shoulder 5 formed by enlarging the tank near its upper end.

annular marginal flange 6 projects up-.

wardly from the shoulder 5, as shown, and

the shoulder 5 constitutes a rest upon which a film supporting frame may be mounted.

The film supporting frame preferably comprises a spider'having a triangularcentral member 8 from the apices of which radially extendingbars 9 project and are provided at their outer ends with supporting members 10 adapted to bear upon the shoulder 5. The outer extremities of the bars 9 are also connected by aring 11 and a series of parallel spaced bars 12 are located in the spaces between the spider'bars 9 and extend from said spider bars and from the central member 8 to the ring 11, substantially as shown in' Fig. 2.

The specific form of film supporting frame illustrated in Fig. 2 (while preferred) is not essential to my invention. It 1s possible to use a frame of the type illustrated in Fig. 8, in which two rings 13 and 14: are connected by a series of radial bars 15, the ring being provided at intervals with bearing members adapted to rest upon the shoulder 5 or upon the top of the tank 1 illustrated in Fig. 5, in which case a bearing member 16 will preferably be em- {oloy1e7d and provided with a down turned 1p I Where it is desired to use my invention not only as a developing tank but also for washing the. films, I provide the tank with a screen 20 adapted to fit the bottom of the tank and preferably arched, as shown in Fig. 4, said screen having a downwardly extending projection 21 adapted to fit the outlet 3, which for the purpose of washing films is used as an inlet during the washing operation: The tank if used as a washing tank is preferably provided with an overflow duct 23, communicating with a drain pipe 24:. It will also be observed that in Fig. 4 I have provided a substitute for the shoulder 5 by forming the walls of the tank with interior notches 27, in which projections on the developing frame may engage.

In use, the films are supported, either for washing or developing purposes, from the frame bars 12 (or 15). Each film is adjusted with its extremities on opposite sides of a frame bar and projecting slightly above the bar, so that the extremities may be engaged by a spring clamping member 28. The intermediate portion of the film is weighted, preferably by a stirrup shaped weight 29, through which one end of the film may be passed, preparatory to adjusting it and clamping it in position of suspension from a frame bar 12. I

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

I claim 1. A developing tank, comprising a cylln drical chamber having opaque walls, and a film supporting frame removably anchored to the upper portions of the walls of said tank, and provided with a set of spaced film supporting frame bars.

- 2. A developing tank, comprising acylindrical chamber having a bottom provided with a drain outlet, the sides of said chamber being formed of pure clay, baked and glazed on its inner and outer surfaces, in combination with a film supporting frame, and means for anchoring the frame from the top of said tank, said frame comprising a set of supporting arms and a multiple series of spaced parallel bars located between the supporting frame bars.

3. A developing tank composed of baked or vitrified clay, having a glazed surface, in combination with a set of supporting frame bars removably anchored to the upper margins of said tank, and a set of parallel spaced film supporting bars mounted between said frame bars.

4. A developing tank composed of baked or vitrified clay, having a glazed surface, in combination with a circular film supporting frame provided 1 with peripheral supporting bearing projections adapted to engage the walls of said tank.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature I in the presence of two witnesses.

' GEORGE W. BOTZ.

Witnesses: v

LEVERETT C. WHEELER, IRMA D. BREMER. 

